PGIR Ltd

Wireless Analysis Helps Six Nations Winners

Sports performance specialist PGIR Limited provides live in-match analysis services for England rugby team manager Martin Johnson and his team of coaches. PGIR’s performance information and action replays kept the England coaching team fully aware of player performance during the RBS Six Nations Rugby Championship – won overall by England – and AIT ensured wireless communication links were maintained throughout.

Problem

They say knowledge is power. No coach can prevent the matchday fumble of a pass or a missed tackle by an onfield player, but off-the-field performance awareness information can benefit a team.

England’s rugby coaches use wireless iPads to view PGIR’s data and analysis, produced by various software suites. Content also includes real-time video streaming and replays of onfield action. Martin Johnson usually gains a game high-view by sitting in the stands while England’s specialist coaches operate at touchline level.

With matches played over a limited time-frame the window of opportunity for communication is finite. Communication during those crucial minutes needs to be faultless. It wasn’t.

Solution

AIT was asked to review the existing touchline communication system. “We realized that our wireless network system had to be resilient and capable of operation in all conditions and varying locations globally. In effect, we had to create a portable wireless solution for use wherever the team played,” said AIT’s wireless consultant Simon Round.

Using its knowledge and expertise, AIT introduced a wireless ‘touchline tunnel’, a robust infrastructure covering a wider localised area with additional access points.

To get the solution up and running AIT’s engineering team provided 24-hour phone advice and matchday cover and continues to support PGIR to ensure ongoing success.

Result

AIT provided a winning performance for sports performance specialist PGIR with trouble-free wireless communication during the crucial matches of the RBS Six Nations Rugby Championship.

John Hall, the former England and Bath flanker and Managing Director of PGIR, said: “PGIR’s role for the RFU is to provide England coaching teams with relevant data to enable evidence-based, interdisciplinary decision making. “When England’s coaches are already under the real-time pressure of international rugby matches, where centimetres and seconds can add up to make points on the scoreboard, the last thing we want to do is cause them additional stress with poor communication links.

“AIT has enabled us to ensure that our information gets safely ‘passed along the line’ to the coaches – and hopefully helps assist a winning performance for England!”